


dear as remembered kisses after death

by julianbashir



Category: Captain Marvel (2019), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Memory Loss, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-23
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-08-06 08:09:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16384418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/julianbashir/pseuds/julianbashir
Summary: He used to dream about her turning up one day, a mischievous gleam in her eye and a 'you’ll never believe where I've been' slipping from her smirking mouth.





	dear as remembered kisses after death

**Author's Note:**

> Title from [Tears, Idle Tears](https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/tears-idle-tears) by Alfred Lord Tennyson.

He used to dream about her turning up one day, a mischievous gleam in her eye and a 'you’ll never believe where I've been' slipping from her smirking mouth. She might sneak up behind him and wrap her strong, slim arms around his waist. Might rest her sharp chin on his shoulder just like she used to, breathing, 'fuck, I missed you, Jim' right in his ear.

The reality of Carol Danvers turning up twenty years too late, once half the universe is gone, looking not a day over thirty and without a trace of recognition on her face? Well. That cracks something wide open in his chest in a way he didn’t think was possible after all the mourning he’s done.

'Colonel.' She salutes, and the curious gaze of a stranger from her sharp eyes has him dropping into his chair.

'What the hell are you doing here, Carol?'

She flinches, the minute movement she used to respond to reprimands with, and her mouth twists unhappily.

'I’m sorry, sir, have we met?'

And Jim laughs. He laughs and he laughs and he laughs because otherwise he’ll cry. He finally pulls his phone from his pocket and takes a slow breath. Jim shifts through to the oldest folders, the ones he can’t bare to look at very often, and finds the section he’s looking for. He selects a photo and passes the phone to Carol, who’s watching him like she thinks maybe he’s about to explode.

She takes the phone from his hand, careful not to brush his fingers with her own, and glances at the screen. He knows exactly when she realizes what she’s looking at because her entire body stills, not even breathing.

'That’s me.'

'Yes.'

'And...you?' Her eyes flick up and back to the screen.

'Once upon a time, yes.'

'And we were…'

'Together. That was our engagement party. You went missing three weeks later.'

'I don’t...I don’t remember that.'

'Yeah. I got that when you walked in and called me Colonel, sweetheart.'

And there. There’s a flash of something. Not quite recognition, but longing maybe. She always did love his unending endearments. Sweetheart, darling, baby girl, gorgeous, my lovely little Caro.

Sweetheart, though. He used to press that one into her, head to toe, used to murmur it into every inch of her golden skin as she writhed against the threadbare sheets in their shitty off base apartment. Sweetheart used to drive her absolutely up the wall in the best way, slick and sweet and wailing his name as she quivered under him.

Carol Danvers, this Captain Marvel, she may not remember him, not yet, but sweetheart is etched into her heart, like muscle memory, and she leans in without realizing what she’s doing.

**Author's Note:**

> Y'all know there's a reason MCU Rhodey is still single after all these years.


End file.
